Governmental Abuses – Page 4 – Glen's Parallax Perspectives

Besides humanizing state-level prison sentences, FEDERAL SENTENCING LAW must be overhauled too.

March 23, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

We must COMPLETELY RE-THINK federal sentencing law: Tackling Excessive Sentences Thousands of people in federal prison are serving severe, outdated sentences that Congress no longer believes are fair. A 2022 Supreme Court decision that seemed to broaden the availability of reduced prison time has been interpreted inconsistently, extending uncertainty on this issue. In the short term, carefully crafted rules can allow judges to offer relief on a case-by-case basis. But ultimately, ending unjust penalties will require a top-to-bottom rethinking of federal sentencing law. Congress must pass the “SECOND LOOK” legislation to reduce some sentences: A man who had been […]

Republicans are persistently WRONG + INCOMPETENT about COVID

March 21, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

It’s surprising that anyone trusts the Republican Party after they have screwed up so badly regarding the COVID pandemic. When the pandemic struck, Trump denied that it was happening. Then he said it would completely go away within 2 months. He said it was nothing more than the flu. He blamed China in a very racist, xenophobic way. He put incompetent and corrupt people in charge of it. When he conducted nationwide TV programs about it, instead of providing honest scientific information he promoted “snake oil” cures manufactured by companies his cronies owned, and he used those TV programs […]

De-regulated banks crash!!! Here are some insights into recent crashes of big banks.

March 17, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

In recent decades Republicans (and a few “corporate Democrats”) have “de-regulated” banks. This means they abolished the protections that have protected us since the 1930s from reckless, stupid and corrupt behavior by banks. This led to the gigantic crash of 2008, which hurt many millions of Americans (and caused many to lose their homes). More recently, the Republicans (and a few “corporate Democrats”) DE-REGULATED BANKS even worse. This led to several gigantic banks crashing in March 2023. In 2009, the very experienced U.S. Senator Dick Durbin said this about the U.S. Senate: “Frankly, the banks own this place.” In March […]

War hawks promote war with China. We must PREVENT that!

March 4, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Much smart research — and many smart articles — have exposed the hard reality that much of the U.S.’s foreign policy is driven by military weapons manufacturers that profit by promoting our militaristic foreign policy. Also, many politicians promote nationalism and militarism as a way to rally voters to cheer for them. Now powerful forces are rallying the U.S. to support a war with China — or if not an actual war, at least the steps leading up to war. They don’t seem to recognize that wars fail to solve problems. Also, they don’t seem to realize that the […]

Slash the Military-Industrial Complex. Cutting the Pentagon Budget in Half Would Finally Force the Generals to Think

February 28, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Here’s an interesting article about this: https://www.juancole.com/2023/02/military-industrial-generals.html A new book says Eisenhower was right: The US military budget is ‘a theft from those who hunger.’ The book also provides information about protesting for peace. See this: https://wagingnonviolence.org/cnv/2023/02/eisenhower-was-right-us-military-budget-book-review-trillion-dollar-silencer-joan-roelofs/ A new effort in the U.S. House would reduce wasteful Pentagon spending and redirect funds to critical basic needs. The first few short paragraphs of the article I linked below say this: Today Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Mark Pocan (D-WI) reintroduced the People Over Pentagon Act, which would cut $100 billion in defense spending and reallocate the funds to human […]

To solve political-social-economic problems, we must organize PEOPLE-POWER grassroots movements

February 28, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Several years ago, a guest on one of my TV programs said that only 5% of democracy is about voting, while 95% of democracy is about organizing grassroots movements. I agree. People who have official power (politicians, big businesses, etc.) want ordinary people to feel powerless and get out of the way, so they themselves can make all of the important decisions. Alice Walker said, “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” If ordinary people actually did recognize our power — and our huge potential to organize strategically from the grassroots […]

Click to tell Congress to ABOLISH Junior ROTC

February 28, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

For many years the military has been PERVERTING PUBLIC SCHOOLS by SUBSTITUTING MILITARY PROPAGANDA instead of honest history courses — and TRAINING STUDENTS TO MARCH AND SHOOT GUNS. The instructors are military people, NOT certified teachers. This happens in many, many schools nationwide (especially in low-income and minority neighborhoods) through the Junior ROTC program. Also, many military instructors in the Junior ROTC program have been caught sexually abusing female students in the JROTC program. The program also VIOLATES the international Convention on the Rights of the Child. I encourage you to click this link and substitute your name and contact […]

TV + online: “Smart Strategies to Organize for Peace and No Nuclear Weapons”

February 23, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

The March 2023 program on “Glen’s Parallax Perspectives” TV series provides fresh insights and smart strategies to help us achieve peace in the world and abolish nuclear weapons worldwide. In this TV program, I address these main points: Point #1. The U.S. has been provoking nuclear weapons since the 1940s. Point #2. Nuclear weapons exist in the overall context of U.S. foreign policy. To achieve peace, we must debunk the MISTAKEN ASSUMPTIONS that have trapped us in endless wars and the suicide of nuclear weapons. To get out of those traps, we must think clearly and creatively – and de-militarize […]

Good news! Oregon’s governor stopped death penalty before leaving office!

February 7, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Oregon’s voters elected a new governor in November 2022. The outgoing governor took a strong, smart action before her term expired. See news here: https://www.opb.org/article/2022/12/13/oregon-governor-kate-brown-death-penalty-sentence-commutations/? The news was reported at this link too: https://www.opb.org/article/2022/12/13/oregon-governor-kate-brown-death-penalty-sentence-commutations/?utm_source=The+Marshall+Project+Newsletter&utm_campaign=97d1f68c90-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2022_12_14_12_05&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5e02cdad9d-97d1f68c90-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D In a few states people are considering whether to use their initiative process to gather signatures and force a statewide election to abolish the death penalty. That is a long, hard, expensive slog. A ballot initiative is not necessary. Oregon’s law is still on the books until the legislature repeals it. But in late 2022 Oregon’s Governor commuted the sentences of all people on that […]

Urgent: Save innocent Tony Apanovitch from Ohio’s death penalty

February 7, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

I’m on the e-mail list of Ohioans to Stop Executions (OTSE). They do good work in one of the few northern states that still uses the death penalty. See their message below urging people to tell Ohio to save the life of an innocent person. I hope you will contact Ohio’s governor and parole board. I clicked their links and sent letters. I reworded their letters as follows: OTSE sent this message and asked us to help: Hello Glen, The State of Ohio is on track to execute an innocent man. Tony Apanovitch’s innocence is not just a matter […]

Strategically smart messages toward abolishing the death penalty

February 4, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Building a movement to abolish the death penalty – both through changing public opinion and then through passing legislation – requires strategically smart messaging. Below I’m attaching something I wrote that uses 3 smart steps to help people recognize that the status quo is broken and to decide we can abolish the death penalty without sacrificing public safety: Fact #1: The death penalty does not deliver what it promises. Fact #2: The death penalty makes existing problems worse and it causes more problems. Fact #3: We can let go of the death penalty and still be safe. I wrote […]

House Republicans use the phony-baloney “debt ceiling” to hold the U.S. hostage and cut programs we really need

February 4, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Mainstream news media keep giving credibility to Republican propaganda about the “debt ceiling.” The “debt ceiling” is NOT in the Constitution. It is simply a law that could be repealed, but Democrats keep failing to take that necessary action. Congress has routinely increased it — including in every year of the Trump regime — but when Republican Newt Gingrich had power in the House and when Democrats Obama and Biden have been President, Republicans act like terrorists and hold our nation hostage and threaten to shut down our government because they want to cut spending for programs we really need, […]

Here is what a REAL “Christian nation” would look like

February 4, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Right-wing Christians and most Republicans keep saying they want the U.S. to be a “Christian nation.” But they do NOT want it to be the kind of society that Jesus was actually promoting. Jesus NEVER objected to abortion or homosexuality or immigration. What Jesus REALLY kept teaching and practicing are ethical, humane, loving, compassionate actions: Feed the hungry Heal the sick Welcome the stranger (and the foreigner and other ethnic groups) with equal human dignity as ourselves Instead of attacking LGBTQ persons or persons who want abortions, Jesus REPEATEDLY LAMBASTED: Rich people who failed to share with the poor Self-righteous […]

Urge WA Legislature to repeal Tim Eyman’s anti-tax propaganda on our ballots

January 27, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

The 2023 Washington State Legislature has an opportunity to do something good for democracy. For many years, Tim Eyman has CLUTTERED OUR BALLOTS WITH MEANINGLESS “ADVISORY VOTES” that are really ANTI-TAX PROPAGANDA! Some years ago he fooled voters into approving a statewide initiative to put these on the ballot. They have NO LEGITIMATE PURPOSE. They merely rile up voters with anti-tax hysteria. Every time the legislature increases tax on anybody in any way — even by finally making certain kinds of businesses pay their fair share — and even by closing a stupid loophole — Tim Eyman’s stupid initiative triggers […]

The “debt ceiling” is a Republican scam to prevent funding programs we need.

January 25, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

The media are currently obsessed with the “debt ceiling” and are grossly distorting the realities! The “debt ceiling” is NOT in the Constitution. It’s just a law — a law that has been changed many times. Republicans keep using it to bully Democrats into cutting Social Security, Medicare, and other important programs that people really need. Republicans NEVER call for cutting the Pentagon budget. Spending is one side of the ledger. The other side is TAXES. Republican who are worried about deficits and the public debt NEVER call for raising taxes on RICH PEOPLE or BIG BUSINESSES. They want to […]